Cases of defilement on the rise in Kyegegwa – official
"Many cases reach authorities long after the alleged defilement has occurred, making it difficult for investigators and other authorities to respond effectively and ensure justice for the victims."
A young girl writing on the ground. (File photo)
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Late reporting is contributing to the rise in defilement cases in Kyegegwa District, the district’s senior probation officer, Jenifer Kasembo, has observed.
Kasembo said many cases reach authorities long after the alleged defilement has occurred, making it difficult for investigators and other authorities to respond effectively and ensure justice for the victims.
She made the revelation during the District Action Centres (DACs) meeting organised by International Justice Mission (IJM) held on August 20 at the district headquarters.
The meeting was aimed at finding ways of improving the handling of sexual violence cases against children in the district.
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, Kyegegwa recorded 88 sex-related offences and 39 child-related offences.
While these figures represent a slight decline from 91 sex-related offences and 60 child-related offences recorded in 2024, the numbers remain a significant concern for local leaders and justice actors.
Nationally, the 2025 police report showed that the force recorded a total of 10,492 cases of defilement in 2025 compared to 12,312 cases reported in 2024. The victims of the crime were 10,493, including 10,328 female juveniles and 128 male juveniles.
According to Kasembo, delayed reporting of cases not only complicates the process of investigating the allegations but can also affect the ability of authorities to gather evidence and protect the victims from further abuse.
Kasembo expressed concern over parents who choose to remain silent or negotiate with alleged perpetrators instead of reporting cases to authorities.
She said some parents accept money from perpetrators and take their side, leaving the child without justice.
“Parents also keep quiet and don't report. They side with the perpetrators and get money from them, and the child ends up not getting justice,” she said.
Such practices, Kasembo noted, expose children to continued abuse while allowing perpetrators to evade accountability.
She urged parents, teachers and other members of the community to report suspected cases of defilement immediately to the relevant authorities so that victims can receive protection and justice.
She further encouraged communities to prioritise the safety and welfare of children rather than settling cases privately, warning that silence can have long-term consequences for victims.
'Intervention from different justice actors'
“What prompted us to come up with this meeting is the many cases in the district, which needed to be handled,” Ongom said.
She said the meeting brings together stakeholders to examine individual cases and identify gaps that may be delaying justice for victims.
“When such arises, we sit as stakeholders to discuss these cases. If it is a defilement case, you may find that police have not yet arrested the perpetrator, and the victim has not yet recorded a statement. So, we sit and find ways of how all these challenges can be resolved,” she said.
She noted that the approach is intended to strengthen coordination among the different actors involved in the justice process and ensure that cases do not stall because of unresolved procedural challenges.
She also revealed that some families and community members continue to settle cases involving children outside the formal justice system, allowing perpetrators to avoid accountability and leaving victims without justice.
“There is a lot of mediation in the communities. This is the biggest cry in the district,” she said.
She said they want to strengthen community awareness to discourage the practice and encourage timely reporting of sexual violence cases to the relevant authorities.
Among the proposed interventions are sensitisation meetings, community barazas and radio programmes to educate residents on how to report cases and the dangers of mediating cases of sexual violence against children.